Celestial sphere for use in schools and colleges.



G. W. MINKLER.

CELESTIAL SPHERE FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

APPLICATION mzo MAR. 7. 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 7. I914.

Patented Nov. 30, 191.

4 SHEET$-SHEET 2- COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

G. W. MINKLER.

CELESHAL SPHERE FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7. 19M.

Patented Nov. 30,1915.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 Y H L W kkM 5] G. W. MINKLER. CELESTIAL SPHERE FORUSE IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7. m4.

1,162,300. I Pamntd Nov. 30, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

r I f4 I 4 77 MARCH APP?! JEHHIWIH IIIIHHIHIIWJIIHIIIII HIIIHI'IM Fila-IlIl'.

Fig. 211' H army w mun-mu n enonsn WEBsTEaMINKLER, or VANCOUVER,was'nrnsroiv.

CELESTIAL SPHERE FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 34), r915.

. Application filed March 7, 1914. Serial No. 823,267.

1 h 0.15 whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE W. MINKLER, acitizen of the United States, residing at- Vancouver, in the county ofClarke and State of Washington, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Celestial Spheres Especially Adapted for Use in CommonSchools as Well as Colleges; and I do declare the following to betafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, refercnce being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to astronomical apparatus, particularly to globesrepresentative of the celestial sphere.

One object of my invention is to produce a globe of the classdesignated, which possesses in its mechanical aspect certain structuralfeatures of novelty and utility that contribute to the stability anddurability of the apparatus, in use, and to its convenience forshipment. 7

Another object of'prime importance is to produce apparatus which beingadapted to afford means, convenient and accurate to the degree ofexactitude, for representing and marking the position of the sun (or ofany fixed star) for any day of the year, and the aspect of the celestialsphere for any latitude, may be'made to exhibit the vari-' ous importantfacts of the suns apparent annual motion and the consequent change ofseasons, whereby numerous questions relating to these matters areimmediately upon inspection of the apparatus only answered in clear andunmistakable terms.

What constitutes my invention will be hereinafter specified in detailand succinctly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which con stitute a part of thisspecification, Figure I is a perspective view of a preferred form ofembodiment of my invention with its parts complete and assembled as inuse. Fig. II is a top plan view; of the same in that position in whichthe celestial pole represented and the imaginary terrestial polecoincide. Fig. III is a diametrical section, as on the line III-III ofFig. II. Fig. IV is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale of a portionof the ecliptic calendar-ribbon illustrative of the means of ad ustmentofthe same,

in order to afiiordcorrect representation of' the day of March(conventionally the 21st) when the sun crosses the line. Fig. V is asection on the line VV of Fig. IV. Fig.

VI is a detail view showing the preferred means of mechanically unitingthe longitudinal ribs to the equatorial ring of the globe. Fig. VII is atop plan view of a pole-cap detached. Fig. VIII is a diametrical sectionof the same.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings l, 2, 3, and l indicate,respectively,

four legs that are, as by cross pieces 5 and parallel bars 6, rigidlyassembled to constitute a stander support for my globe proper. Each legis preferably provided atits lower end witha rubber foot-piece 7. Eachfoot-piece is preferably provided with a socket for the reception of theleg, whose lower end a is preferablythreaded to carry a set nut 8adjustably against the face of its foot-piece.

At its upper end, each leg is preferably provided with a threadedterminal Z) that screws into a suitably threaded aperture provided forit in the horizon-ring 10. I The ring 10 is preferably graduated toindicate degrees of a circle and marked with the initial letters of twoor more cardinal points of the compass. Preferably, the legs 1, 2, 3,and 4:, respectively, enter the ring 10 at points equidistantly disposedbetween the said points of the compass, or in other words a leg isprovided at the N.E., NJV, SJV, and SE. points of the compass,respectively, as indicated on the ring 10.

The respective legs 1, 2, 3, and a: being assembled with the crosspieces 5 and bars 6 as byaid of screws 0 may be united or disunited, asrequired, speedily and conveniently, and when disunited, as for shipmentin commerce, the several elements are no morethan single straightmembers that may be packed together with greatest economy of space.

A pair of bars 6 in parallel disposition one toward the other ispreferably provided, in order to accommodate a pair of rollersll,

each being provided with a peripheral groove 12 and with terminaljournals 13, which find their bearings in boxes 1 L let into therespective bars from above. The rollers 11 are disposed-in parallelrelationship toward each other upon the bars 6, and are separated by asufiicient distance to aiford a firm rotative support for a ring 16which, in respect to its function, I denominate the latitude-ring. Thisring should be made of I any suitable material such as brass and ofcross section dimensions sufficient to afford in it a stiff and rigidsupport for the globe proper. It is supported rotatably within thealined grooves 12 of the rollers 11 as by slip fitting notches 17 and 18that are disposed in diametrical opposition to each other in thehorizon-ring 10 (see Fig. II). The upper half of the latitude-ring 16 isinscribed, as illustrated in Figs. I and III, with .graduationsindicating degrees of the circle, ninety degrees being inscribed uponone side of the unit or polar mark, A, and ninety degrees upon the otherside thereof, both divisions of said graduations reading, preferably,from the unit mark A. The apparatus being preferably constructedthroughout with that exactitude common in instruments of precision, theinside diameter of the ring 10 should equal that of the outside diameterof the ring 16, and the rollers 11 should be disposed tobring bothmarkings of 9O upon the ring 16 as well as the center of said ringexactly;in the plane of the upper surface of the ring 10. Consequentlywhen the polar mark A is vertical to the plane of the ring 10 theterrestrial and celestial poles are represented thereby as ooincident,and anydip of the mark A to the north of the ring 10 may be readdirectly in terms of latitude north, from the graduations on the ring16, sharply indicated by the adjacent upper edge of the notch 17 or 18.

Between and within diametrically opposite bearings (Z and c, with suchnicety as mechanical accuracy will permit, coaxially with the polemarked by the letter A, I provide a polar shaft 20 which, somewhatexceeding in length the diameter of the ring 16, is provided at itsopposite ends, respectively, with journals or shouldered terminals 21made to fit, interchangeably by preference, the bearings (Z and e. Toassemble the shaft 26 with the ring 16 a slight compression of the sidesof the ring exerted between the bearings cl and 6 will suflice toelongate the ring 16 enough to admit the journals 21 to enter saidbearings. The resiliency of the ring 16 will upon release thereofrestore it to its normal circular shape and confine the shaft 20rotatably within its bearings cl and e.

The shaft 20, besides being the axial support for my globe proper, is bymy invention preferably made the main assembling member of the partsthereof, or that member whereby and whereon all the other constituentelements of the globe proper are assembled and united. This becomes animportant detail when it is considered that it lies at the root of theconstruction by which my globe proper in its mechanical aspect andpreferred form of embodiment, is made to be readily assembled ordisassembled, whereby repairs, if necessary, are facilitated, and

disposed, preferably.

its ordinary bulk may be reduced to comparatively small compass forshipment, and whereby'it may be readily set up for use after reaching adestination remote from the factory.

The globe which, in use, the shaft 20 carries represents, as from theoutside thereof, the celestial sphere as it presents itself from theinside to the eye of an observer upon the earth, which is therefore, inimagination only, located at the center of the globe. The said globe,having the shaft 20 for its axis, is divided into two hemispheres by anequatorial circle and each hemisphere is divided by other circlesparallel to the equator and of familiar denomination.

I prefer to employ in the construction of my globe proper a structuralring 23 to represent the equator, and also four rings 2-1, 25, 26 and27, two above and two below it to represent with accuracy the circles oflatitude of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, respectively, namelythe tropical, equatorial and45 circles. Each of said five rings ispreferably independentlyand rigidly secured to the shaft 20 as by acentral hub 28 and a set screw 29 therein for each ring, and each ringis, in like manner, accurately spaced toward each other ring and unitedeach to its next neighbor as by brace rods 30 disposed at suitableintervals between the several rings throughout the structure. The rods30 may be conveniently secured in place as by the aid of reduced ends 31which, fitting into apertures provided to receive them in the aforesaidrings respectively, project through the rings a sufiicient distance topermit of the forming upon said respective ends a rivet for finalassemblage. The central hub 28 of each ring". is carried, preferably, byradial arms 33 extending between it and its ring. vAt its opposite endsthe shaft 20 is provided with a reduced portion 35 having a threadedextremity and a nut 36 to accommodate and securely hold between them apole-cap, indicated by 37 for the north pole-cap and by 38 for the southpole. Each cap preferably extends 23 27 7 from its center so as to offerits periphery to represent a polar circle.

The rings and the pole-caps are preferably made of a light weight metal,for example aluminum, and when secured to the shaft above describedconstitute therewitha solid unit or globe frame. proper being preferablyof skeleton structure is in such case completed by the addi' tion oflongitude-ribs 40 preferably twenty four in number which are spacedequidistantly and secured in place about the globeframe to representmeridian lines at every fifteen degrees.

I prefer to construct each rib 40 of heavy spring wire, say of brass,and to fix it in place upon the globe-frame by fastening The globe i itsopposite ends to the pole-caps, respectively, and by locating itsintermediate exrious members of, the globe-frame at their severaljunctions.

As a preferred means of securing the ends of the ribs to the pole-caps,respectively, I provide in the latter twenty four equidistant radialgrooves a2 (compareFigs. II and III) and at the inner end of each groovea perforation l3 to receive one end ofthe rib 40. By annealing the endsof the rib wire they may be after insertion into the perforations L3,readily clenched therein as indicated at L5 in Fig. 111. As the ribwires are preferably fixed into position after the globe-frame isassembled, I prefer, in order to facilitate the assembling operation, todispose the perforations a3 obliquely to the shaft 20. By this means oneend of each rib wire having been inserted into its perforation andclenched, and the bendAG of the other end thereof having been accuratelydetermined, the straight end of the rib i0, projecting obliquely beyondthe said bend 4L6 so as to correspond to the direction of incline of'theperforation may be driven home into the said perforation and clenched.By aid of the construction and method of assemblage above described, theglobe proper may be conveniently and with certainty formed into a rigidstructure of regular contour with necessary accuracy of disposition c-fall its members. The means employed for the purpose lend themselvesequally to the setting up of the apparatus either in the factory or atany remote point to which it may be consigned for shipment in commerce.The flexibility of the ends of the'rib wires makes it feasible, as forrepairs or reshipment, to unclench and reclench their ends toa limitedbut practicable extent.

An important object of my invention being to construct apparatus todisplay graphically the various important facts of the suns apparentannual motion as well as its apparent diurnal motion, I provide aroundmy globe proper an, annular 47' which, may be made of heavy brass wirehaving its opposite ends united." It represents the ecliptic and ismovably mounted to rotateabout the center which is the center of theglobe proper, and is restricted to a determined path of movement as by atrack, consisting, preferably of two rails 50 and 51 surrounding andsecured to the globe. Said rails are set a sufficient space apart toaccommodate and confine snugly between them the annulus or ecliptic ring47. The ecliptic ring carriescan indicator or small disk 52 secured toit. It representsthe sun and affords, mechanically, a means for takinghold of the ring in order, by manipulation,

to impart rotation to it.

' Surround ng the globe like the ring andin close uxtapos1t1on to it, Iprovide ecliptic calendar member or ribbon 55. It

too is'of annular construction and. is inscribed to indicate divisionsinto the days of each month and the months of the year as partiallyillustrated in Figs. I and V. \Vithout illustration of all the markingsthat characterize the ribbon 55 it is deemed to be to advantage,considering the nature of the drawings, to specify that the calendar isinscribed to indicate unequal parts corresponding to the daily movements.of the sun along theecliptic whereof 186 parts and a fraction are northof the equator and 178 and fraction south thereof It is thus adaptedcorrectly to represent the six months day at the North Pole and that atthe South Pole, the. former being over a week longer than the latter. Inorder toenable the calendar-ribbon to give correctly the day of ll larchwhen the sun crosses the line,I provide means for moving the ribbonbackward or forward a degree or two to compensate for the inequalitybetween the solar year and the calendar year.

' I prefer as a means of providing for ad justment of the calendarribbon 55 backward or forward, to mount it upon an annular b'ack-strip56 surrounding and secured to the outside of the globe proper. Alongitudinal slot 57 being providedin the backstrip, a screw bolt 58,introduced through said slot and through an aperture in the ribbon 55,is adapted, by aid of a nut 59 threadedto' its inner end, to permitadjustment of the ribbon upon the back-strip or to firmly clamp themtogether when desired.

The operation of my apparatus may be de scribed as follows: Assuming theinvention tobe comprehended in the form of embodiment illustrated andin'the relativepositionv of the parts shown in Fig. 1H, for example,

it is obvious that a rotation of the globe circle parallel to theequatorial ring 23, V

which is, in the position shown in Fig. 1H, in the same plane as thehorizontal-ring 1.0. This fact enables my apparatus to exhibit by aid ofthe disk 52 the phenomenon of alternate visibility and invisibility, ofthe sun for continuous equal intervalsof six months each, that being theperiod required by the sun in its course apparent to an observer nearthe pole to cross the line.- So long as the disk 52 in the rotation ofthe globeis above the ring 10 it "represents .day" in the NorthernHemisphere and night in the Southern Hemisphere and vice vcrsa. Byshifting the disk 52, (rep resenting the sun) to any position along itstrack between the rails -51, 2'. 6., any position along the edge of thecalendar-ribbon intermediate between March 21st and June 22nd, observingthe juxtaposed month and day marked upon the calendar ribbon 55, thenrotating the globe about its axis 20 to bring the disk 52, exactly overthe north point of the horizon-ring 10, and then moving thelatitude-ring 16, to bring the center of the disk "2 down to thehorizonring 10, the position of the midnight sun in the north is shown.At the same time the instrument indicates the beginning of one of thelong days 2'. 6., days with a midnight sun as wellas the time on thecalendar-ribbon when that long day begins. The middle of that long daybeing June 22nd, and the ending of that long day being as many days,weeks, or months after June 22nd as the beginning was days, weeks ormonths before June 22nd, not only are the beginning and ending of thelong days, indicated but also the latitude of an observer on the earthwho can witness such a phenomenon, his latitude being denoted on thelatitude-ring 16, by the degree mark where the latitude-ring '16 touchesthe horizon ring 10. Moreover, by varying the position of the disk 52along the edge of the calenda '-ribbon '55, within the limits already 7given, one can through reference to the horizon ring 10 find a day (asrelated to the nightr), of any length from an hour to six months long,and likewise, the necessary latitude of an observer on the earth.

In respect to latitudes-in which the day 7 is measured by the diurnalrotation of the earth upon its axis, my apparatus affords meansthroughadjustment of the ring 16 to correspond to the latitude andobservation of the movement .of the disk 52 with reference to thehorizon ring 10 for accurately determining the time of sunrise andsunset for any day of theyear, at any point ofknown latitude.Conversely, the time of sunrise or sunset at any place being known thelatitude of that place may be ascertained by my machine.

In respect to all questions relating to the rotation of the earth uponits axis, it should be observed that the time of rotation of the earthin covering the distance from one rib 4-0 to the next equals one hour,said ribs being. as specified, disposed at the distance of fifteendegrees apart. It is in consequence thereof thatfacts shown by myapparatus may be accurately read in terms of hours and fractionsthereof.

It is deemed unnecessary in this specification, addressed as it is. toone skilled in astronomy,'to attempt to describe or even to enumerateall the uses to which my apparatus may be put, except in so far as toindicate its practical" utility. Having proceeded accordingly so asclearly to explain its operation, I deem further detail description ofother of the various uses to which my invention may be put to beunnecessary.

hat I claim is:

1. In astronomical apparatus the combination, with a horizon-ringadapted to constitute a support, of a rotatable globe within said ringhaving its axis adjustable to any angle within a fixed plane anindicator adjustable to any. point in the ecliptic,

and means upon the globe for carrying the indicator whereby saidapparatus upon inspection may be made to exhibit the various importantfacts of the suns apparent annual motion and the consequent change ofseasons for any latitude.

In astronomical apparatus the combination, with aihorizon-ring adaptedto con stitute a support, of a rotatable globe within said ring havingits axis adjustable to any angle within a fixed plane, an indicatoradjustable to any point in the ecliptic means upon the globe forcarryingthe indicator and a calendar member disposed in juxtaposition to thepath of movement of said indicator. i

3. In astronomical apparatus the combination, with a horizon-ringadapted to constitute a support, of a rotatable globe within said ringhaving its axis adjustable to any angleiwithin a fixed plane, anindicator adjustable to any point in the ecliptic means upon the globefor carrying the indicator, and an adjustable calendar member disposedin juxtaposition to the path of movement of said indicator.

42. In astronomical apparatus, the combination with a horiZona-ing, anda graduated latitude ring movably mounted therein, of a globe rotatablymounted in the latitude ring, an indicator upon the globe movablymounted in the ecliptic, and means upon the globe for carrying theindicator.

A globe proper comprising the combination of a polar-shaft, polar circledefining pole-caps, structural rings representing circles intermediatethe poles, and longitudinal ribs.

6. A globe proper comprising the combination of a polar-shaft, polarcircle defining pole-caps, structural rings representing circlesintermediate the poles, longitudinal ribs, and a circumferentiallymovable ecliptic ring.

7. A globe proper comprising the combi nation of a polar-shaft, polarcircle defining pole-caps, structural rings representing circlesintermediate the poles, longitudinal ribs, a circumferentially movableecliptic ring, and a calendar ribbon juxtaposed thereto.

'8. A globe proper comprising the combination of a polar-shaft, polarcircle defining pole-caps, structural rings representing circlesintermediate the poles, longitudinal ribs, a circumferentially movableecliptic ring,

and a similarly adjustable calendar ribbon juxtaposed thereto.

9. In astronomical apparatus the combination with a globe supportcomprising a notched horizon ring, and a latitude ring movably mountedin the notches of the horizon ring, of a pair of parallel rollers havinggrooves alined with the said notches for supporting and facilitatingrotation of the latitude ring.

10. In astronomical apparatus, the combination with a globesupportcomprising an horizon ring and a pair of grooved rollers, of a verticalglobe supporting ring whose inside diameter equals that of the horizonring, rotatably mounted in the grooves of the rollers and in notchesprovided for it in the horizon ring.

11. In astronomical apparatus, the combination with a polar shaft, ofpole-caps removably secured thereto and longitude ribs connecting thepole-caps.

12. In astronomical apparatus, the com-. bination with a polar shaft, ofpole-caps removably secured thereto and removable longitude ribsconnecting the pole-caps.

13. In astronomical apparatus, a globe proper comprising a polar shaft,pole-caps, longitude ribs, in combination with structural ringsintermediate the pole-caps, and provided with means for detachablysecuring them to the polar shaft.

1a. In astronomical apparatus, a globe,

proper comprising the combination With pole-caps provided with radialgrooves terminating in perforations as specified, of longitude ribsseated respectively in said grooves and having their ends inserted intoand secured within said perforations.

15. In astronomical apparatus, the combination with a polar shaft,pole-caps, and longitude ribs connecting the caps, of a structural ringsecured to said shaft and representative of the equator, said ring beingprovided with notches for the reception and locating of said ribs,respectively.

1 6QIn astronomical apparatus, the com bination with a polar shaft,pole-caps, and

longitude ribs connecting the caps, of a structural ring secured to saidshaft and representatlve of the equator, said rmg being provided withnotches for the reception and locating of said ribs, respectively, and

additional rings representative of circles parallel to the equator. p

17. In astronomical apparatus, a globe proper in combination with'anannulus, provided with an indicator,'movably mounted thereon torepresent the ecliptic.-

18(In astronomical apparatus, a globe proper surroiuided'with a pair ofparallel rails secured thereto, in combination with an annulus, providedwith an indicator, movably fixed between said rails in the line of theecliptic. I

19. In astronomical apparatus,

a globe proper in combination with an annulus, pro-"1 vided with anindicator, movably mounted I.

thereon torepresent the ecliptic, and a calendar ribbon lnjuxtaposltionto said annulus.

20. In astronomical apparatus, a globe proper in combination with anannulus, provided with an indicator, movably mounted and constituteitinto a skeleton globe as set forth, 1

In testimony whereof, I afiix my slgnature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE WVEBSTER MINKLER.

Witnesses: c

a W. H. HARRIs,

L. D. DENTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eaeh, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

